The NBA is set to restart its 2020 season on July 30th with 22 teams and an eight-game season leading to the playoffs and Finals. However, this season will be unlike any other with all the games played at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and with no fans in attendance.
Coronavirus started shutting down sports in the USA in March 2020, and since then, only a few professional sports have resumed. Basketball will be the second team sport to launch in the US after Major League Soccer (MLS) returned on July 8th.
Skeptics say the NBA is trying to salvage its 2020 season and putting the league and players at risk by doing so; however, fans and bettors alike are ready to see some live action. The 22 teams that will participate in the restart are as followed:
Eastern Conference
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Toronto Raptors
- Boston Celtics
- Miami Heat
- Indiana Pacers
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Brooklyn Nets
- Orlando Magic
- Washington Wizards
Western Conference
- Los Angeles Lakers
- LA Clippers
- Denver Nuggets
- Utah Jazz
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Houston Rockets
- Dallas Mavericks
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Portland Trail Blazers
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Sacramento Kings
- San Antonio Spurs
- Phoenix Suns
Each team will have three scrimmage games leading up to an eight-game seeding season to determine which sixteen teams will be included in the playoffs. Once the playoffs begin, the post-season will resume with its conference-based format and best of seven series.
Betting on the NBA has never been easier for Filipinos looking to wager on the 2020 NBA restart. Online sportsbooks carry game lines, futures, and props for the American basketball league, and you can bet during the quarantine. Bettors who are accustomed to betting on the PBA will find that the NBA betting lines are just as easy to navigate; however, the data backing them is different.
Filipino bettors looking to place money down on the action should take into account the players who will be off the court due to the virus or other reasons. Some NBA players who will miss the restart include Russell Wilson (Rockets), Michael Beasley (Nets), and Harrison Barnes (Kings), among others.
The NBA is enforcing strict guidelines for its return, including regular COVID 19 tests for all players and team staff. Upon arrival, numerous players and staff from the 22 teams have tested positive for the virus and will be forced to self-quarantine until they are cleared by a physician to return to work.
